NORTHRIDGE BOYS BASKETBALL
10-year history: The Northridge Boys Basketball Team Summary: The 2018-19 season was another record-breaking season as the Polar Bears won another District Title and advanced to the Elite Eight, becoming Regional Runners up, again for the first time since 1945. Jeff Lisath became Northridge's all-time winningest coach.
Past Seasons: The Polar Bears had won three straight SWBL conference titles, with a current win streak of 25 straight conference wins dating back to the 2014 season. The Polar Bears have won back to back Sectional Titles and were District Champs in 2015 and Runners-up in 2016. The Bears tournament losses have come by the hands of Final Four teams in the past two seasons. Their success has been the best in school history since 1980. Their District Title was the first since 1945, when Northridge reigned as State Champions. In the span of three years, the Bears achieved a 59-17 record and a remarkable 32-4 in SWBL play, while also claiming a 6-3 tournament record.
Coach Jeff Lisath was named SWBL Coach of the Year three years in a row, back to back District Coach of the Year and in 2015, he was named AP Ohio Division III Coach of the Year.
Drew Ogletree was named SWBL Player of the Year twice, as well as District Player of the Year. In 2016, Drew was named Ohio Division III Player of the Year by the basketball coaches association.
Culture
2018-2019 Sectional /District Champions Regional Runners-Up
2025-2026 polar Bears
Aside from the 1945 Northridge Polar Bears State Championship team, no group in school history has reached the level of success achieved by the 2025–2026 Polar Bears boys basketball team. They dominated the Three Rivers Conference for a second consecutive season, going a perfect 14–0 in back-to-back years (28–0 combined). The Bears’ high-powered offense averaged 75 points per game, while their stingy defense allowed just 39 points per game.
The Bears also secured back-to-back Sectional and District Championships, earning a spot in the Elite Eight and solidifying their place among the program’s all-time greats. They finished the season with an impressive 25–2 record, with their only losses coming against Division II State Runner-Up Westerville North and Division IV State Champion Cincinnati Wyoming in the Regional Finals.
What makes this run even more remarkable is the level of competition they faced. The Division IV Polar Bears played the toughest schedule in school history, taking on four Division I opponents and two Division II teams. They also defeated two 20-game winners and District Champions from their own conference, proving their dominance wasn’t limited to one level of play.
In tournament action, the Bears continued to rise to the challenge, defeating top Division IV programs including Dayton Dunbar, Cincinnati Taft, and River Valley—further cementing their legacy as one of the most battle-tested and accomplished teams the school has ever seen.
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Prior Season: The 2024-2025 Northridge Polar Bears just wrapped up one of the most successful seasons in school history, finishing 21-5 despite playing their toughest schedule to date. They went undefeated in conference play (14-0), clinched the league title, then rolled through the Sectional and District tournaments to reach Regionals for the third time in eight years. Head coach Jeff Lisath earned both Three Rivers Conference Coach of the Year and Southwest District Coach of the Year honors.
